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10/10/2005

Back in the Saddle

ME : So, I am finally blogging again! ... Big thanks to Basil, TMH & Paul for stepping in to help keep NIF from being totally devoid of interest! ... (and you guys know you are always welcome to just drop by and post ... or, if you didn't know you do know!)

It was another clear win for Jerry as he laid out his positive agenda of Honest Reform. Jerry demonstrated once again that he is a workhorse, not a showhorse, and spoke passionately about his optimistic vision and strong record of accomplishments.

Sadly in Tim Kaine, you saw more of the bitter and cynical rhetoric we have grown accustomed to. Tim Kaine used the debate to attempt two things. First, he attempted to rewrite his liberal record to appear mainstream to voters unfamiliar with his record. Second, he launched attack after attack on Jerry praying one of them would stick in an effort to bolster his campaign which is widely seen as slipping and becoming more and more desperate.

In the debate, Jerry clearly articulated his ideas to bring better pay for better teachers, get traffic moving again, create jobs and opportunities, and keep Virginians safe from harm, and easily brushed aside the barrage of negative attacks and half-truths from Tim Kaine.

Even if you were not able to see the debate, here are 10 key points to remember and share with others:

Jerry Kilgore will improve education with his better pay for better teachers plan by recruiting, retaining and rewarding the nation’s best teachers. Tim Kaine readily admits that he does not even know how to pay for his signature education initiative without a tax increase.

Jerry Kilgore will get people and commerce moving again by empowering regions with real decision-making authority to find solutions to their transportation needs as well as making transportation a priority in the state budget. Tim Kaine has been widely criticized that he has provided no transportation plan and no new money for road construction.

Jerry Kilgore will make job creation a top priority by promoting Virginia’s business friendly climate; working with our colleges and universities to promote research and development; eliminating the unfair death tax; and creating and nurturing a regulatory environment that promotes the growth of businesses in Virginia. Tim Kaine has said very little in this campaign about job creation, but when he served as the Mayor of Richmond, the unemployment rate increased 47%.

As a former state and federal prosecutor, Secretary of Public Safety, and Attorney General, Jerry Kilgore has been on the front lines working to keep Virginia’s families and communities safe. Abolishing parole and establishing truth-in-sentencing, reforming the state’s domestic violence laws and enhancing penalties for gangs and drug dealers were just the start. Jerry will continue his effort to combat the growing threat of gangs and drug dealers, and will give police more authority to address the growing crime problem associated with illegal immigrants. Conversely, 840 acts of murder were committed while Tim Kaine served as a member of Richmond’s City Council and the federal government had to come in and implement Project Exile to protect Richmond’s citizens from violent criminals.

Jerry Kilgore is the one candidate for Governor who will enforce Virginia’s death penalty and use it as a deterrent to heinous criminal acts. Tim Kaine has spent a lifetime of activism against the death penalty and supports a moratorium on the death penalty, and if elected, he could bypass the General Assembly by exercising his clemency powers.

Jerry Kilgore believes government shouldn't tell the people how much it wants - the people should tell the government how much it gets. Jerry opposed the largest tax increase in history believing it was not necessary and now we have a $2.2 billion surplus. Jerry supports giving voters a say when politicians propose raising the state sales, gas or income taxes. Tim Kaine on the other hand supported the largest tax increase in Virginia history - a tax increase he now disingenuously refers to as “Budget Reform.” Tim Kaine has indicated his support for raising the gas tax and has promised to tour the state if elected to drum up support for higher taxes to fund transportation.

Jerry Kilgore opposes using taxpayer funds to encourage illegal behavior. That is why he opposed giving those in Virginia illegally drivers licenses, in-state college tuition and using your tax dollars for day laborer centers that do not check for legal status. Tim Kaine supports using taxpayer monies for illegal immigrants to receive in-state college tuition and for day laborer centers.

Jerry has a consistent pro-life record and has worked to promote a culture of life. Tim Kaine can’t be trusted on this issue as he has run radio ads in Southwest Virginia claiming he is pro-life while cynically running as a pro-choice candidate in Northern Virginia.

Jerry Kilgore is running on his record of significant accomplishments and positive agenda for the future. Tim Kaine has made Mark Warner the focus of his campaign to try and mask the fact that he has a weak liberal record to run on and that he is out of step with most Virginia values.

Jerry Kilgore has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Virginia Association of Realtors, the Virginia Society for Human Life PAC and the National Rifle Association just to name a few. Tim Kaine has not earned the endorsements of any significant organization other than the traditional Democrat unions and extreme environmentalists.